


those quiet, chilly mornings

by autumndee



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Gaang's Kids, Post-Canon, Pre-Avatar: Legend of Korra, another suyin is sokka's daughter fic, katoph friendship-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24527107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumndee/pseuds/autumndee
Summary: The day Suyin Beifong was born, told through the eyes of the water tribe healer who delivered her.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Toph Beifong/Sokka
Comments: 63
Kudos: 352





	1. Chapter 1

Rain drummed hard on the roof that morning, big, ice-cold drops that froze the moment they met the earth. It was the kind of weather Katara hated-- not warm enough to enjoy, but still not wintry enough to remind her of home. Still, when she made a pot of tea and sat at the kitchen table, a blanket draped around her shoulders, it was easy to pretend she was back at the South Pole, huddled close with her brother, her father, and sometimes her husband, too. The kids would be outside, Bumi leading the charge as they hunted for a flock of penguins for sledding until they came inside at dusk, their sweet faces glowing and out of breath from shrieking with laughter all afternoon.

It would be wrong to say she was unhappy where she was; she and Aang had built their little house on the island together the summer after they were married, sleeping under the stars every night like they had as children during the war and sneaking away beyond the treeline for time away from the often over-zealous air acolytes. From those stolen moments came their son, taking them by surprise so much sooner than they’d planned. They spent that winter in a state of shared, unspoken terror, as her body swelled and she spent most days in bed from a sickness that never quite resolved.

Then spring came, and the moment the healer laid Bumi, wrinkled and screaming and perfect and _theirs_ , against her sweat-slicked chest her whole world seemed to burst wide open before her very eyes. Suddenly, each bedridden morning, the hours of unbearable pain, they meant nothing at all. In that moment, she knew that she would happily march to her doom for the tiny being she and Aang had created. That feeling only deepened four years later on the morning Kya came into the world, two months early while Katara and Bumi were visiting her family in the south. Sokka had been there to hold her hand, and Aang, who didn’t make it in from Republic City until the following afternoon, had never quite stopped apologizing.

By the time Tenzin came around, Katara wasn’t sure her heart could grow any bigger. But, somehow, it did. Spirits, it did. There was so much love in her life, the old pang of homesickness really only came around on those quiet, chilly mornings.

Though the clock crept close to midday, there were no sounds from Bumi’s room overhead. She was annoyed, but not surprised; as her eldest child approached teenagerhood his sleep schedule had shifted later and later-- it wasn’t uncommon for Aang to come home in the early morning hours after a drawn-out forum to find the boy still awake, reading by lamplight or laid out on the roof, beneath the stars.

Tenzin, she knew, had been up for hours already, perhaps before even she had. At five years old he was already more independent-spirited than eight year old Kya, who still sometimes crawled into her parents bed in the morning so she could be between them while they woke. That morning had been one of such occasions, and when Katara had felt the weight of her girl burrowing beneath the sheets she’d wrapped her arms around and pulled her close, quietly aware that one day soon she’d think herself too old to find refuge in her Mom and Dad’s room.

She drained her tea and stood to pour herself another cup. Outside the rain continued to fall, and for a moment she watched it through the window as it melded with the steely gray water surrounding the island. There was a basket of vegetables on the counter that Aang had brought home yesterday, and Katara was thinking about what she could make for lunch out of them when, through the sound of the hammering rain she heard a faint knocking at the door. With a sigh she went to answer it, leaving her teacup steaming away in front of the kitchen window.

“Tenzin, I told you, you don’t have to knock before you come into your own h-- Linny?”

Instead of her own child waiting at the doorstep like she’d expected, Toph’s daughter stood there, her chin length black hair dripping wet and plastered to her face. Wordlessly Katara stepped aside and ushered the girl into the house, looking behind her for her mother, for any adult, before closing the door behind her.

“Linny, sweetie, did you come all the way here by yourself?” She asked as she led Lin to the kitchen and stood her in front of the sink, where she bent as much water as she could out of the girl’s clothes and sent it down the drain. She nodded in response, and answered as Katara took the blanket she’d been using from her chair and wrapped it around the girl’s shoulders.

“I took the ferry. Mom sent me to come get you.” Lin sniffled, “She says that the baby is coming and you have to hurry.”

Katara’s heart leapt, the same as it did each time she was called on to put her healing skills to use. That hadn’t changed in all the years since she was fourteen and hiding her shaking hands in an earth tent outside of Serpent’s pass. But she refused to show her trepidation in front of Lin

“Okay,” She said, “I just need to gather some supplies. You take this,” She took her still-full cup of tea from the counter and handed it to Lin, “And get warm. Kya is in her room, go tell her I said to find you something clean to wear.”

Lin nodded and gingerly sipped at the tea. “Do I get to stay here?” She asked.

“Yes, I think that would be best.” Katara walked with her up the stairs and sent her to Kya’s room at the end of the hallway, then braced herself for a moment and pushed open the door at the landing.

“Bumi?” She said, stepping over the pile of clothes on the floor. Her nose wrinkled. Her son had never been a tidy child, but she was halfway convinced that the stink emanating from his room in recent months wasn’t from this earth. She sat on the edge of his bed and gently prodded the blanket-covered lump, noticing that the sheets had come untucked in the bottom corner. “It’s time to wake up, sweetie. I need you to look after the kids for me.”

Bumi groaned and rolled over, and from the gap between the blanket and mattress Katara saw his blue-gray eyes blink open. “Mom, you have to knock before you come into my room.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” She ran a hand over his stubborn, always-messy brown hair. “But it’s an emergency. Everything is okay, but Lin is here, and I need to go into town to help Auntie Toph.”

That elicited another groan, but Bumi sat up and looked at her with a sleepy frown. “Okay. I’m up. Is there anything else you need, _Katara_?”

“Pick up a little? You know how much it bothers Dad and I when you let your room get like this.” She gave his arm a final squeeze and stood. “Just keep an ear out. You know Lin and Kya play rough when they get together. Your father probably won’t be home until late, so I’m counting on you to keep things under control here.”

“Fine, but I want an extra ten silver in my allowance this week.”

“I could be talked into five, if you get this room clean.” She gave him a look when he started to protest. “Five, Bumi, that’s final. Clean your room, watch the kids, and don’t set the island on fire. I have to go.”


	2. Chapter 2

Katara’s little boat was on the far end of the island, tied up beneath a drafty lean-to that kept the rain at bay. She didn’t use it often, more often than not when she went into the city she had at least one child with her, leaving the ferry or Appa, when Aang didn’t have him, as her only options. 

She untied and shoved off, using her waterbending to keep herself dry as she sailed around the edge of the island. The city around them seemed to grow larger every day, the buildings jumped higher and the noise louder. Even though she’d seen it herself, sometimes she couldn’t believe that just twenty years ago the place was little more than an Earth Kingdom factory town. 

It took about twenty minutes to sail to the docks, longer than usual because of the biting, unpredictable winds. On the dock she passed a handful of coins to a skinny dockhand, who, to her disdain, addressed her as Mrs. Avatar and sent her off with a shaky bow. 

Once she was on the shore she moved fast; Toph’s apartment wasn’t far, a couple of blocks from the city’s center. When Lin was born, Toph labored for nearly two days, so Katara didn’t fear missing anything, but the thought of her friend alone and in pain was enough to make her hurry. She was nearly there when she realized that she’d broken out in a jog, her bag of healing supplies bouncing against her leg as she rushed past covered fruit carts and travelers beneath umbrellas. 

The apartment was larger than most of those in the city, four bedrooms with its own courtyard, but it was furnished modestly for the home of the chief of police. It was on the ground floor, which Toph said, made it easier to feel what was happening in the street outside. Katara entered without knocking and slid off her jacket, kicking aside a pair of Lin’s shoes that sat in the entryway. 

“Toph?” She called out. 

“In here, Sugar Queen.” 

She followed the voice into the kitchen, where Toph leaned against the counter in a grubby nightshirt. “You should be in bed.” 

Toph shook her head. “I feel better when I’m up. At least this way, I can see what's going on. Lin made it to the island alright, then?”

Katara nodded. “She knew exactly what to do. You’ve got a smart kid, you know.” She went to find a pot to boil water, but found the one she deemed suitable was already in use. 

“Figured I’d save you some time.” said Toph, “I’ve got the towels out in the bedroom, too.” 

“ _ Toph _ ,” Katara chastised her, “You’ve been through this before, you know you should save your strength.”

“Eh.” Toph shrugged, but Katara could see the tension in the lines around her eyes. “We both know it could be hours before anything exciting happens.” 

“Hours that are only going to get more intense.” Katara opened her bag and began taking out her supplies so she could clean them. As she stood at the stove her back was to Toph, but she glanced at the earthbender from the corner of her eye. “Is there anyone else you want me to send for? A friend, or…?” 

“ _ No _ , Sugar Queen. The father isn’t around for me to call. Not that I’d want him here, anyways. It was just you and me with Lin, it can be just the two of us again.” 

“After all these years, I still just don’t understand you sometimes,” That wasn’t true, she knew her friend would rather suffer in solitude than let anyone see her so exposed, so vulnerable. That didn’t mean Katara agreed, or thought it was a good choice. “I know when it was me the last thing I wanted was to be left alo- Spirits, Toph, would you please at least sit down? I need to examine you, anyways.” 

“F-fine.” Toph spoke through gritted teeth. “I’ll take a break. But only long enough for you to check out my lady bits. Then, I want to go for a walk.” 

“A walk?” Katara finished boiling her instruments and laid them out on a clean towel to dry, “Toph, it’s freezing cold, and raining, I don’t think you want to-”

“Around the house, Your Sweetness, you don’t need to get your skirts in a twist. Now come help me.”

Katara ignored the nickname and went to her. If she was openly asking for assistance,  _ her  _ assistance, she had to be in more pain than she was letting on. “Just breathe through it,” she said, taking her hands. “It’ll be okay, Toph. You’re doing great.” 

“Breathe through it?” Toph winced as Katara helped her out of the kitchen and down the hallway. “You sound like your husband, any more of that and I’m going to start calling you Twinkle Toes.”

“Until we get this baby out of you, you get to call me whatever you want.” They reached the master bedroom, where the bed had already been stripped of its blankets, and, as the earthbender had said earlier, a stack of towels had been put out on the nightstand. Katara let Toph lean against her as she guided her over to the bed. Then, out of habit, even though there was nobody else in the house, she went back and shut the door.

* * *

It was awful, watching Toph do it on her own. The hours wore on, and though at first they walked in endless circles around the house, by the time morning tipped to afternoon she mostly wanted to stay near the bed for the times standing became an impossible feat. 

Katara desperately wanted to take her hand and let her hold it as tightly as she needed to, to stroke her hair and dab at her brow with a cool cloth, all the things that, from all her experience delivering babies, she knew would bring some semblance of comfort. More than that she wished Toph would give her a name, any name, of someone she could send for to do all those things while she focused on getting the baby there safely. 

But Toph wouldn’t let her do any of those things, so she just worked from her place at the foot of the bed, reminding her friend that it was okay if she needed to scream, to remember to breathe, and that she could change her mind about wanting more whenever she wanted, and Katara would find a way to make it happen. 

The rain let up later in the day, and as the sun dipped low in the sky and filled the house with orange light the pushing started. With her feet up on the bed, Katara knew that Toph could see almost nothing, so whenever she could spare a hand she reached up and laid it on her knee, letting her know that it was there if she needed to take it. 

She repeated the same chorus as the light in the room grew dimmer, each “You’re so close,” and “One more push,” and “You’re doing great.” growing more emphatic the further things progressed.

“Last one, Toph, I mean it this time. Just give me one more, and you’ll have your baby.”

The earthbender only responded with a limp, uncharacteristic shake of her head before letting it fall back onto the pillows. “I don’t think I can,” She said between heavy breaths. “This isn’t the way it was supposed to be, Katara.” 

“Hey,” Her voice softened from the strong, direct one she used as a healer to the soft, comforting one of a friend. She leaned forward, finding Toph’s hand and clasping it with hers. “It never is. But that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. We’re here, we’ve been here before, and it’s almost over. I’ve got you.” 

“I don’t-”

“What’s your name?” 

She didn’t answer at first, but picked her head up off the pillows and quietly mumbled, “Toph Beifong.”

“Right. And who is Toph Beifong?” When she began to shake her head, Katara answered for her. “The greatest earthbender in the world. I’ve seen you move  _ mountains _ . Take down men twice your size without blinking. You invented a whole new type of bending!”

“This is harder than that.” 

“I know it is.” Katara brushed her thumb across the back of Toph’s hand. “But you can do it. Take a moment, just to breathe, then give it all you have for thirty more seconds, and that’s it. Are you ready?” 

Slowly, she nodded, taking a long, slow breath. “I’m ready. Let’s do this, Sugar Queen.” 

“There’s the Toph I know.” Katara let go of her hand and put it back in position, ready to catch. “Now on the count of three, I want you to push. One… two…  _ three!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the kudos and kind words! This will probably only have one chapter after this one.


	3. Chapter 3

Even from the Republic City docks, Katara could see that the downstairs windows of her house were still aglow with lamplight. At the late hour it could mean one of two things: that Aang was home earlier than expected, or that Bumi was still awake, thoroughly enjoying his temporary in-charge status. 

As she sailed closer, to her relief, she saw Appa resting in his hut. Her husband was there, waiting for  _ her  _ to return home and tell him about her day for once. That happened so rarely that by the time she reached the shore and tied off, she was already thinking of all the ways she could show off.

She came in through the back, sliding off her muddy shoes and setting them beside the door before going into the kitchen. “I didn’t think you’d be home already,” she started as she walked into the room. “It’s a-”

Aang was at the table, but he wasn’t alone. Her brother sat with him, the two men stopped mid-conversation at her arrival. “Sokka?” She let her bag drop to the ground, a wad of bandages and several loose coins rolling out of its top and across the floorboards, and rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck. “You didn’t tell me you were in the city, what are you doing here?” 

“I got in earlier this week, figured I’d surprise you.” He shrugged as she released him. “Aang invited me for dinner, but then the kids told us about Toph.”

“Yeah, how is she?” Aang spoke, “And the baby?”

“They’re great.” Katara smiled. Since she was a girl she’d helped bring countless babies into the world, and with each healthy child came a high that she could ride for days. It was one of her favorite feelings, but still, she freely admitted it left her scatterbrained. “She’s great. Oh! It’s a girl.” 

“A girl!” The Avatar cried, jumping up from his chair and pulling her into a tight hug. “That’s amazing! What’s her name?” 

“No name yet. When I left them, Toph was trying a few out.” She wriggled free from his embrace and straightened her skirts, then bent down to pick up the spilled items. “She’s just beautiful, you guys will see soon enough-”

“You say that about every newborn.” Sokka tipped back in his chair, balancing on its back two legs. “But I’ve yet to see one that looks much different than a leech-a-pillar.”

“You told me that Kya was beautiful.” Katara frowned. 

“I was traumatized. Besides, if I didn’t, you would have hit me.”

“Still might.” She scooped the coins back into her satchel and stood.

“Relax, she got cute eventually, all your kids did. It’s an all babies thing, not personal.” He gave up on his balancing act, and Katara cringed as the front of his chair scraped against the floor. 

“It’s funny,” She said, passing the bag to Aang, who took it to its place in the front hall closet. “When I saw her- the baby, I mean- the first thing I thought was that she kind of looks like Kya did. It just makes me wonder, you know? About-”

Katara stopped herself. The resemblance was more than passing, she thought. The baby’s eyes were green, like her mother’s, but her nose, her lips, and her dark hair, thick for an infant’s, they’d all instantly made her think of her own daughter. Standing there, in her kitchen talking with her brother, with whom  _ she  _ shared so many features... 

For nine months, Toph refused to speak about the father. Before that, she’d been so secretive about the man who had been sleeping over. 

It certainly made her wonder, indeed.

“Wonder what?” Aang stood in the doorway to the hall, leaning against its frame. 

“Nothing.” When she broke eye contact with Sokka, though, she noticed a change in his eyes, a realization. “I need to go back. Toph had some bleeding. Which I healed, and she’s fine, there’s no reason to be worried, but I don’t want her trying to get up and around tonight. I just came to get a change of clothes and to tell Linny she has a new sister.”

“She’s asleep now, I can tell her in the morning.” Aang volunteered. 

“She’s what?” Katara stopped to listen, and realized that since she’d arrived, she hadn’t heard a sound from upstairs. 

“Uncle Sokka to the rescue.” Her brother grinned. Whatever trace of confusion she’d seen in his face before was gone. “I made them a tent in the living room and promised I’d make breakfast in the morning if they went to bed.”

“You got all of  _ my  _ children to bed before midnight?” 

Lin was easy, she always was. At home the girl had no rules, so when she visited the island, things like table manners and bedtime were novelties. But to get the others, Bumi and Kya especially, to settle down for the night was a task only for the brave of heart. 

“They all took baths, too.” He announced proudly. 

“Do you want to stay here forever? Seriously, you can have our room, we can sleep on the floor.” 

“I already offered,” said Aang. “No luck.”

“Too bad. At least come visit more often than you do. Get rid of that closet apartment of yours and just stay with us when you’re in the city.”

“I’ll take it under advisement.” Though he feigned indecision, Katara knew it would never happen. Sokka loved that apartment, cramped and stuffy as it was, and the freedom it gave him to do whatever- and whoever- he wanted when he stayed in the city. 

“Aang, sweetie?” She spoke to her husband, but maintained eye contact with her brother. “I’ve been on my feet all day. Could you save me a trip up the stairs and find me something to wear for tomorrow? My blue dress should be clean.” 

“Of course!” He was already in the hall, halfway to the stairs when he called out, “Anything else?” 

“Just the dress. Thank you, sweetie.” As he skipped up the stairs, two at a time, by the sound of it, Katara could hear him muttering to himself  _ blue dress, blue dress, blue dress.  _ The search would keep him busy for a few minutes; she owned at least six blue dresses he’d have to choose between. She needed to talk with her brother alone.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Sokka raised an eyebrow at her. 

“No reason.” She pulled out the chair Aang had been using and sat in it. “You were just good with my kids today, and I think that’s nice is all.”  _ And I think you might be the father of our friends’ baby, but I want to hear it from one of you. _

“You’re being weird. Usually you get all mad when they behave better for me than they do for you.” 

“I delivered a baby today.” She boasted. “Nothing can ruin my mood, not even you. We’re an auntie and uncle again.”  _ Or are we an auntie and a dad? _

“Yeah.” He still sounded wary of her intentions, but continued. “Listen, Katara, I-”

“Yes?” But she must have leaned in too quickly, looked too excited to hear the confession he was about to make, because right away he dialed back. 

“Nothing. I was just worried about Toph today. She didn’t have anyone with her?”

Katara shook her head. “Just me. I offered to fetch someone for her, but she wouldn’t let me.”

Sokka sighed, “Why does she do that? She knows I would’ve been there.”

“She would’ve had to know you were in town for that. You know Toph. She doesn’t like to ask for help from anyone. I’m pretty sure she  _ still  _ hasn’t told Kanto that Lin exists.”

“Right, Kanto. I forget about that guy sometimes.” He was silent for a long moment, opening his mouth to speak again just as they heard the sound of Aang’s feet coming back down the stairs. 

“Okay, blue dress.” He entered the kitchen and bent down to kiss Katara on the top of her head as he set her embroidered overnight bag on the table in front of her. “There’s clean socks and underwear in there for you, too. And your hairbrush, too.” 

“You’re so good to me.” She smiled up at him and pulled him down by his robes for a kiss on the lips.

“I love you.”

“I love  _ you. _ ”

“Ugh.  _ Oogies.” _

“Shut up, Sokka.” Katara stood and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I should get back. I’m going to take Appa, if that’s okay. I’ll send him back so you guys can take him to work in the morning, though.” 

Aang nodded. “I’ll walk you out.” 

This made Katara smile. It was rare for her to have time alone with her husband, even just a moment of it. “Okay. Will I see you again before you go back to the South Pole, Sokka?”

“I’ll be here for a couple of weeks, so probably.” He stood to hug her. “Tell Toph I said congratulations, and let me know when she’s ready for visitors.” 

“I will. Thanks again for helping with the kids.”

“Anytime. They’re way cooler than you guys, so I don’t mind.” 

“If they’re cooler than us, where does that leave you?” She gave his shoulder a gentle shove. “‘Night, Sokka.”

They walked hand in hand out to Appa’s hut, the two of them tiptoeing past the quarters where the air acolytes slept and suppressing laughs at the memories sneaking around brought back. The windows stayed dark, though, and when they reached the canopy where their bison waited for them, Aang pulled her in for a slow, deep kiss. 

“I told you that you look beautiful today, right?” There was nobody around to overhear them, but still he whispered in her ear as he brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. 

“About three times this morning.” She smiled as he turned his attention to her neck. 

“Well you look even more beautiful now than you did then.” His hands found the knot at the waist of her dress and tugged it loose, and Katara felt them brush against the bare skin of her waist.

“Aang…” She spoke with shallow breaths, “Not that I’m not  _ thoroughly  _ enjoying this, but…”

He released her, resting his tattooed forehead against hers. “You have to go, I know.” 

“Yeah.” Her body protested and willed her to change her mind, but she knew that she couldn’t. “Take the day off later this week. Tell the council you’re sick. Let’s leave the kids with Sokka and fly somewhere, just the two of us.”

Even with her eyes closed, she could feel him smile, “You know, I  _ do  _ think I feel a cough coming on.”

With one last kiss he helped her up onto Appa’s back and Katara was soaring alone through the night sky, her fingers tangled in the bison’s thick white fur. The trip back to Toph’s apartment was only minutes by air, at the late hour the streets were empty enough to make a landing right at her front door. 

“Thanks, Appa.” She said after she had two feet on solid ground, giving him a pat. “Now head home. Yip yip.” 

She watched him disappear behind the rooftops before going inside. She closed the door behind her quietly; she knew Toph wasn’t asleep, but if the baby was she didn’t want to be the reason she woke. 

“Hey, Sugar Queen, you’re back!” The earthbender called out as Katara crept down the hallway. She entered Toph’s room and found her, thankfully, still in bed, lightly tracing the outlines of the infant’s face. “How do you feel about Suyin? I think it’s a good fit for her.”

“Suyin.” Katara repeated, sitting on the edge of the bed. The baby was asleep, soothed by her mother’s touch. “I like it. How are you feeling?” 

She shrugged. “I’ve been better, I’ve been worse. You patched me up just fine, your sweetness. Honestly, you didn’t need to come back.” 

“Nice try, yes I did.” She watched the child, Suyin, sleep.  _ Spirits, with her eyes closed, she looked even more like Kya. _ It made her heart ache. “Hey, I need to ask you something. You can just answer yes or no, but please be honest.”

“Sure, I’m feeling generous today. What is it?” Toph was transfixed by her daughter, and though she’d heard Katara, she wasn’t sure if she was actually listening. The older woman paused and thought for a moment. She almost considered changing her mind, but without an answer, she’d go crazy wondering. So she took a breath, and spoke. 

“Toph, is this baby my niece?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I lied, I need one more chapter to wrap this thing up.  
> Leave me a comment and let me know what you thought! Thanks in advance <3


	4. Chapter 4

“He doesn’t know.” Toph lightly stroked Suyin’s hair as she spoke, then passed her to Katara. The shift woke the newborn, but rather than cry out, she only looked up at her with wide, curious eyes. 

“Sokka’s a smart guy. If he doesn’t know, he at least suspects.” She held out a finger and let Suyin grasp it with her hand. Her niece had a strong grip. 

_ Her niece.  _

“Were you two together? Like, actually a couple?”

“Spirits, no. I swore off boyfriends after Kanto. It was just a couple of weekends.” She hesitated, then added, “Once or twice a year… Since Suki died.”

“ _ Toph _ …” It had been nearly ten years since the day her brothers’ first real love had gone into the forest after a band of Sozin loyalists, and never came out. Going down that road, even after all that time, still haunted her. 

“Hey, it was  _ his  _ idea. I even thought it was a bad one, at first. But we can’t all be written in the stars like you and Twinkle Toes.”

“I’m not judging you,” When Toph narrowed her eyes, she repeated herself. “I’m not! Really. I just... Why didn’t you tell anyone?” 

“Because Sokka is my  _ best friend _ . Telling you guys would have just made everything complicated. Which it wasn't supposed to be.”

“Well,” Katara looked down at Suyin and stood, beginning to slowly pace around the room. “I think it’s become a little complicated.”

“It doesn’t have to be.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Katara agreed. “But for this kid’s sake, is uncomplicated the right way to go? She deserves to know her dad.”

“Then where does that leave Lin?” Toph snapped. “Kanto is gone, it’s too late to give her that. But Suyin gets to have a great dad who shows up and teaches her how to fight and takes her ice dodging? It isn’t fair!”

“Sokka would be a dad to both of your girls. In a heartbeat, you know he would.”

“He would do his best.” The earthbender agreed, “But Lin is old enough to know the difference. He’s her Uncle, that won’t ever change.”

“Toph-”

“You said you weren’t judging. Lin and Suyin are  _ mine, _ and I love them enough for two parents. That’s enough, and that’s the only thing that matters.” 

Katara opened her mouth, but when she saw the look on Toph’s face- fierce, steady, classic earth kingdom resolve. “Fine. I’ll just say this then. I-”

“ _ Katara. _ ”

“No. Just listen to me, and then I’ll let you get some sleep.” She looked down at Suyin again. She was so new, and perfect. She knew nothing of the world yet except two women who would fight any battle for her. “There is more than one way for a family to look. It can be a mom and dad, married with kids. Or…” She thought about the people she knew, who she loved. “An uncle and his nephew against the world. Or four teenage kids, a lemur, and a flying bison, all running for their lives. So it isn’t too crazy to think it could be a mom and her two amazing girls, and her best friend who’s the dad of one of them, but loves them both the same.”

Toph was quiet. Katara walked to the edge of the bed and gently lowered Suyin into the cradle that stood at its side, then stood and took her friend’s hand. “I’m not telling you what to do, but I want you to know that you don’t have to do everything alone. Just think about it.” 

She was almost to the door, her hand on the knob, when Toph called after her. “Hey, Sugar Queen.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for being here today.” 

“Wild komodo-rhinos couldn’t have dragged me away, Toph. You know that.”

“I do.” A smile colored her voice. “Now get out of here and let me  _ sleep. _ ”

* * *

They woke the next morning before sunrise; the baby’s cries rousing them both from sleep. Katara was out of her bed in the guest room and at Toph’s bedside in a flash, lifting Suyin from her cradle and into her mother’s arms so she could be fed. 

Katara made breakfast while they were occupied, doing her best with the strange collection of groceries that stocked the Beifong pantry. She set water to boil for rice and took out eggs to fry, then turned her attention to the dusty shelves and corners that always went ignored in Toph’s apartment. The earthbender was blind; she didn’t care how her house looked. 

She pulled back the curtains to let in some light and pulled back the floormats, shaking the dust and crumbs from them before hanging them up so she could sweep. She had finished sweeping and was setting another pan on the stove to heat for the eggs when she heard the front door open. 

“Mom it’s me I’m home!” She heard Lin announce her arrival. “Uncle Sokka’s here too! We went for a ride on Appa and he said I get to see the baby. So where’s the baby?” 

Katara turned to see the girl wander into the kitchen, looking around expectantly. 

“Oh.” She said, “Hi, Auntie Katara.” She wrinkled her nose. “It’s all weird and clean in here.” 

“I agree, Lin.” Sokka entered the room behind her. “I think all the dust is what gives your house its charm.” 

“If you call sneezing all the time charming, sure.” Katara smoothed Lin’s hair. “Are you ready to meet your little sister?” 

She nodded excitedly and took Katara’s hand, yanking her towards the hall. She looked at her brother, who just smiled. “You take her, I’ll finish up in here.” 

“Thanks, Sokka.” She followed Lin to the master bedroom and gently rapped on the doorframe. 

“Come in, guys.” Toph said. Katara opened the door and ushered Lin inside first, then stepped in behind her. The girl strode straight up to the bed and climbed on, scooting towards the center and looking down at the baby in her mothers’ arms. 

“This is it?” She asked, scrunching up her nose like she had in the kitchen. 

“Meet Suyin.” Toph tilted the bundle of blankets wrapped around the baby so her older daughter could get a better look.

“She’s kind of ugly. Let me hold her.” Lin held her arms out. Her mother patted the spot beside her and she moved into it, nestling tight to her side. 

“You have to make sure you hold her head.” She guided Lin’s hand to the proper place with her own, and gingerly transferred Suyin into her sister’s arms. The girls just watched each other for a while, identical pairs of green eyes sizing one another up. 

“Hey Sugar Queen,” Toph spoke after some time, “My foot-senses are fuzzy in this bed. Did I hear Sokka in the kitchen a minute ago?” 

“Yeah, you did.” Katara leaned against the doorframe, smiling at the two sisters. “He gave Lin a lift here.” 

“Could you go get him for me? I want to thank him.” She took Suyin back into her own arms, to Lin’s disappointment. “And talk to him about something. Linny, can you go play with your Aunty for a few minutes? Show her your new toys.” 

“I want to stay here with Su-Su.” She pouted. 

“ _ Lin _ .”

“ _ Fiiiiiiine _ .” She climbed down from the bed and met Katara in the doorway. Sokka was still in the kitchen when they emerged, sitting on the counter with a bowl of rice and eggs. When he saw them, though, he jumped to his feet like a child caught with his feet on the table. 

“She wants to see you.” Katara said, “Take her a plate?” He nodded and set his own breakfast down, finding a clean dish and filling it.

“Don’t expect much.” Lin crabbed, “She looks like a leech-a-pillar.” 

“Oh, I’m sure.” He ruffled her hair as he passed them, shooting a wink at Katara. “But a pretty cute leech-a-pillar, I bet.” 

Sokka closed the door behind him when he went into the room. Katara sent Lin to find her toys and stood there waiting, listening. To her disappointment she couldn’t hear the conversation going on inside, only hushed, muffled voices. 

Lin returned to the kitchen, two shiny, hand-painted earth kingdom dolls in hand. “Grandpa sent me these.” She said, handing one to Katara, who only feigned interest. “They were Mom’s when she was little, but I guess she didn’t like to play with them very much. They aren’t that exciting, but I think they’re pretty. Don’t you?” 

But Katara hadn’t realized she was being asked a question. Lin frowned and spoke again. “ _ Aunt Katara _ . Don’t you think they’re pretty?”

“What? Oh. Yes. They’re very pretty.” And they were. Shiny porcelain cheeks shone bright, each eyelash individually drawn onto shining green eyes. They seemed fragile, though, so unlike their owners. She could see why Toph didn’t find them any fun. ““They look like you and your mom.” 

Then Lin showed her their outfits, silk dresses with intricate embroidery, finer materials than most of the clothes Katara owned for herself. Little lacquered shoes so shiny that they could see their reflections in the leather. 

The bedroom door opened. Sokka stepped into the hall holding the now emptied plate, a small smile on his face. His eyes, Katara noticed, were wet. She stood and waited for him to talk, Lin’s doll still dangling from her hand.

“You know,” He sniffed, “I think that might be the most beautiful leech-a-pillar I’ve ever seen.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end! I hope it doesn't disappoint :)  
> Thank you so much to everyone who has left kudos or commented. This story was such a fun re-introduction to the fanfic world for me, I had a blast writing it and seeing what you guys thought! You're all awesome!  
> As always, comments are so, so appreciated!


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